This Chart Will Help Put An End To The 'Is College Worth It?' Debate

If a Greek mythologist were writing the story of America's
journey out of the Great Recession, student debt would be the
many-headed beast that just wouldn't die.

In the last eight years, our student debt load has tripled to
more $966 billion, according to a new report by the NY Fed. It's
the only kind of household debt that has continued to
rise even after the Great Recession, second only to mortgage
debt.

And though it's true that more students are choosing to
pursue higher education these days (there's been a 70 percent
increase in borrowers), there's no getting around the fact that
college is simply more expensive than it's ever
been.

Today, a
degree costs more $20,000 per year –– a 7% annual increase in
three decades, which is well above the rate
of inflation, notes Investopedia's Ryan Furhmann.